Zelda Working Title by PJ141991
by PJ141991
Summary: Now the only remaining hope for Hyrule, is to rewrite history.
1. Prologue

**Author Note:** This is fan-fiction based off of the _Legend of Zelda series_ by Nintendo. Certain characters and elements are strictly taken from the series, while new ideas have been written under the influence of the author. If ideas are stolen, I will kill you. Just kidding.

**Prologue**

Sometime in the near future…

Clenching a spiny, brown root Link made helpless efforts to pull himself closer to safety. Rock crumbled from under his bare, bloodied feet as they slipped. He groaned as all weight shifted to his arm strength, while his tattered legs flung uselessly in the strengthening wind.

"Get back up hero", Link breathlessly mocked himself, "your the one that saves the day, remember?"

His blue lips shivered, and his pale face was chapped. The climate up here was incredibly low, a quivering -2. Cold enough for Link to see weightless flakes of white snow touching his numbing cheeks. His hands bled as the root which decided his fate was sharp and thorny.

Gravity made cruel gestures as he witnessed his own blood spiral thousands of violent feet below. **That's it.**He firmly got control of his feet again. **Failure is not an option.**Inch by inch, Link weakly started to further his endeavor up Death Mountain. Grabbing anything legible, his face bore a defeated and tiring expression, but his piercing blue eyes somehow still beamed a certain confidence.

"At least they think I'm dead," Link proclaimed with an optimistic angle. "That's one accomplishment."

He knew far below his feet sat the pleasant town and kingdom of Hyrule. The entire Hylian race survived down there, he also knew about something else. Something missing, something that once stood within the peaceful gates of the prosperous Kingdom.

_"_How did they manage to get all 3 pieces?"Link bemused. Not that by thinking about it he did any good. They did managed to steal it, along with Princess Zelda. Link cringed at the thought, Zelda was kidnapped. She was in dangerous hands. He swore on his oath to save her.

**No!** His hand slipped on loose earth, as it painfully flagged behind him. It was no longer a climbing tool, but rather a sail. **Zelda!** His arm was now his master, as it pulled him out like a cruel leash. He had but only the support of his left hand that survived like a tiny thread. It was at that moment, with raged tears streaming down his face, that Link saw his failure in a whole new respect.

"If…If I fall," Link choked weakly. "So will Hyrule… and Zelda…"

It now completely dawned on him. Great powers were reunited in the wrong shoes. The fate of Hyrule now rests in the palms of evil, killing hands…

**No…** Link fell, feeling utterly hopeless as he twisted lifelessly to his own death. **Zelda…**


	2. Chap 1

Author Note: The second installment in my "yet to be titled" Zelda fic. In this chapter you will be introduced to two knew characters created by myself. John Whistler and Mathew, both characters are awesome. You won't know this till later chapters, but these dudes are pretty much polar opposite.

John's young, he probabally knows how to have fun, he's strong, and he's witty.

Mathew West- he sterio-types younger generations and alchehol, he is geeky smart, he admires nature, he thinks to himself, and he does not get out much.

Anyways enough of me talking, I hope your as excited about the story and characters as I am...

**Chapter 1**

Present times…

_**The sunrise of Princess Zelda's letter…**_

**"Meet me in the usual spot, grave danger approaches us."**, Mathew West re-read this troubling news for the fifth time. Trembling, he bit his lip, struggling to hold a fancy pink letter. He flipped it over to the addresser, also for the fifth time. The famous "Zelda Signature" clearly scribbled across the page, sent shivers rippling down his backside._ I'm dreaming… I must be…_ he tried to convince himself otherwise.

His heart literally stopped when he discovered what was so authentic about the smeary red-ink scratched frantically into unfocused letters. He could smell the Hylian flesh, and felt like he was staring into death itself. At another glance of the royal signature, he hardly had to guess who it belonged to. **What has the princess gotten herself involved with?**

Receiving the letter only moments ago from a postal owl, it was obvious that he was mistaken for somebody else. As the addressee read-

To- Link; Hands have been revealed…

While the content of the message was unclear, it took only another heart beat for Mathew to understand the Princess's predicament. **Find someone named Link.** West whimpered as he started to pack. In the midst of his good deeds he had a gut-feeling there was more than one surprise in this package. It's not every day you get unwillingly dragged into something so huge.

Lightly packing a canteen of water, baked biscuits, and a bag of rupees, Mathew was more than ready to enter Hyrule town for some answers. _With out the slightest idea of what phenomena was really about to happen to him…_

_-----_

Even with the artistic features of the sun streaming throughout the tree tops of the Koraki forest, he knew something was not quite right. The day was perfect, as nature harmonized with itself. Birds were chirping, water was flowing, and wind kept breezing; but something still felt amiss.

Link slouched on a mossy log as he skipped forest pebbles over a small, rushing stream. Nature continued to distract his foresights as he sat there puzzled in his own curiosity.** Something just didn't seem right…**

"You look troubled." A familiar voice stated behind him, with a touch of concern.

In an instant he knew who it was, she had a knack for showing up at times like these. He didn't even need to glance behind his shoulders to know that her hair was forest-green, she had powerful looking legs that still held brilliant female characteristics, and her eyes sparkled strong traits of confidence and encouragement. The only forest female worthy of such description was Sarah.

Link and Sarah had a friendship beyond compare, they were woven together through the long laughing years of their youth. Perhaps if Link had bothered to look behind his shoulders, he would have noticed that trouble and confusion was now reflecting perfectly off her watering eyes.

He jumped at a rare sound he heard next. _Sobbing_. Link turned around to find a scene so haunting he turned pale. Vibrant green hair was now tiredly messy and snarled, strong legs were now shaking in uncertainty, and his heart literally attacked itself looking in Sarah's eyes, when staring into a pair of miserable, suffering stones.

She sat next to him, and wept uncontrollably.

"I had a dream about the future… horrible things happen…" Sarah wailed. It wasn't like her to believe in fiction. "Link… we must see the Deku Tree."

**A dream about the future?** The Deku tree, as every forest dweller knew, was of great wisdom. He was confronted in only serious moments, Sarah could have lost her arm and thought nothing of it.

In the very back of his mind, Link had the pawing sensation that this may be the answer to his own confusion. So with that in mind, he aided his broken friend to the great Deku Tree. The father of the forests.

-----

Future times…

_**16 suns after Princess Zelda's letter**_

Sleeping like a newborn child, he snored so loudly the nearest trees curled back with discomfort. Just outside the forest line, sat the Kariki village, where the Deku tree could be heard just as lively. For such silly habit, inhabitants are often surprised at how much wisdom the great tree really stored. It's considered great honor to be dubbed, _the father of the forests_.

"Get moving boy!" Kicked a Hylian guard as he prodded a young adult male deeper into the Kariki woods.

"As I said before pops, I'm no kid." At the other end of a rusted spear fumed John Whistler. He was an ambitious, clever, young adult; whom was given less credit than he was worth. Shaking the dampness out of his long-blond hair, it whipped the guard behind him…

It took the man a few shocked seconds to register what had just happened. Then his face reddened at a violently fast pace, his head shook trying to control a building rage.

He yanked John back by the hair. "It would be smart to show some respect lad." He seethed, while furiously rubbing his throbbing cheek with the other hand.

Whistler was about to express his own frustration, but was stopped by what happened next. A loud piercing sound growled against them, and swept the struggling pair right off their feet. John lay with a face full of forest dirt for the longest time. **What in the world?** Suddenly two powerful hands jerked him upright.. The guard took John's hand, and quickly pulled him along like small boy.

"Was that…" John hesitated, while brushing dirt out of his eyes.

"the Deku Tree." The guard replied before Whistler could finish.

After sighting a fractured mess of crushed bones and flesh, John realized that the body was once distinguishable as Link. He was that famous swordsman everyone always gossiped about. What Whistler didn't depend on was becoming a prime suspect. He was now captive, and was being dragged from place to place answering a series of threatening questions. **If Hyrule wanted justice, they had the wrong guy.**

Another vibrating sound quaked under their feet. However this time John was ready, and the guard wasn't. Whistler smiled at an opportunity he couldn't miss.

"Watch yourself boy." He smirked while extending his right hand gesturing the guard to grab it.

It was all to perfect. The offended expression of the poor Hylian guard, combined with a face full of mud splotches was so satisfying. Whistler held back laughter as the guard refused any help, and slowly rose himself up like a crabby child.

The guard's eyes were swelling with rage as he blindly said, "I hope you suffer for what you've done to the hero of time."

The two men walked silently the rest of the way.

When they arrived, Whistler had to resist smiling at the snoring Deku tree. **So childish...** he thought. However when the tree awoke to the presence of a young adult and a Hylian guard, his first sentence took both men by surprise.

"The boy didn't do it" The tree said in an immense, god-like voice.


	3. Chap 2

Author Note: This is the third installment to my story, a very solid chapter. It gets deeper into the story detailing the characters reaction to the problem. For some reason when others read my story they get confused between different times. The story does jump back from the past to the future quite often. So if you were confused about this too, or just plain didn't notice you were so confused... then please tell me so and why. Thanks guys. Until next time...

**Chapter 2**

Present Times…

**The sunrise of Princess Zelda's letter**

The father of the forests looked very grim, Link decided this as he studied the expressions of the Deku Tree. As Sarah feverishly described her dream; his wise, fatherly smile gradually curled downward.

It was hard to see her so twisted up. For as long as Link had known her, Sarah was bursting with confidence. Now she was wreck less. A silent tear streaked down his face as he thought about it more.

"I had a dream... He was climbing... Climbing really high... He was on death mountain... and then... and then he was gone..." Her speech slurred and stuttered beyond horrible.

The Deku tree seemed to be taking it all in. "So tell me Sarah, why was he gone? What happened?"

Upon the question her eyes widened in horror. Her hands shook as she fidgeted inside her pocket. She fished around until pulling out a piece of greatly worn parchment.

"I don't want to say it." She cried unfolding the paper for the tree to look. It was a violent drawing, a barely recognizable body was smashed into pieces and ground deeply into the dirt.

"He was climbing... and then he was gone." Sarah rephrased.

It was at second glance that Link spotted something eerily familiar about the drawing. It made him step back. This picture... it was a picture of himself.

"Link," The Deku Tree said gravely. "Sarah is right. She did see the future."

-----

**The noon of princess Zelda's letter…**

A cold pint of liquor soothed his sweaty hands. The drink washed away the gloom of recent events. Things were happening, concepts that are unimaginable. John Whistler saw what he saw... but it was all so hard to take in. His thoughts traveled to the last date he remembered, October 16, 2006. Whistler remembered the day so clearly, as he stood in the Koriki woods and listened to the Deku tree.

_"You see," The tree sighed. "The only way to save the hero of time, is to alter history."_

_"Alter history!" Whistler did not like where this was going._

_"Listen carefully son," The tree said with guilt.. "I am going to put you 16 days in the past. You must do anything you can to stop Link's death."_

_"What!" Link protested in mere shock. **Was that possible?**_

_"Something must be done, it's the last hope for Hyrule." The tree said. "With Link dead, remember, you're still a wanted man."_

_"Please don't do this!" John screamed._

_"Close your eyes boy. You will have six days."_

It all felt like a dream, but knowing his twisted luck that theory was probably flawed. **He needed proof.**

"Hey Murphy!" He yelled. Murphy was the bartender.

"Ya?",

"What's today's date?"

"...the first..."

"Of October?"

"Yeah... doesn't seem like it though."

"And it's 2006 right?" He asked. It was a dumb thing to say, but he had to be absolutely sure.

"Ya... you alright?" There was confusion in the old man's voice.

"I'll be fine."

He wasn't fine though, he needed to breathe a little. The realty of the situation gave him chills. 16 days in the past. **I have to get over this.** He pushed his woes aside. **You're on a mission!** Finding one particular person and saving their life is like searching for a needle in a haystack. It was almost impossible. It all seemed so hopeless, until an answer hit him square in the eye.

A timid looking man came tripping through the tavern doors. He looked so fragile, if you punched him, you would get that guilty sensation of punching a girl. He asked the bartender for something odd.

"Do you know where I can find someone named Link?" He asked nervously.

That was a clue if Whistler had ever seen one. Quickly, he wrote something down.

"Did you say you were looking for Link?", John asked him when the moment was right.

-----

"Yeah I am actually." Mark West replied.

"Then I believe this is for you." Said a young male holding out a letter.

Mark blinked. This guy looked like a wreck... and at such a young age. He didn't look any more than 24 years old. Hesitantly West accepted the envelope, and the odd information inside.

He bit back the temptation to lecture the young man about the downfalls of alcoholism. Glaring at the size of the beverage, Mark felt a strong sense of distrust. They made eye contact. The boy may have slammed down a couple of whiskeys, but his eyes caged imposing amounts of wisdom. Mark smiled, maybe he misjudged the fellow.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Whistler." The young man replied. He was very to the point.

"Well my name's Mark West." He held out his hand to shake, but the boy didn't accept it. It felt awkward.

They made eye contact once more, and Mark departed.

**What an odd day**. West stared at the envelope for the longest time. Only one thing prevented him from wanting to open it. **Is it safe? **He knew the stories, the ones where people open mysterious letters and get cursed. It was quite a common death these days. Mark thought real hard.

The whole quest was to help assure Zelda's safety, he had to find Link, but was he brave enough? Was he committed enough? Eventually he opened it. Inside was a message.

_**Meet me in the Castle Garden. 9 pm.**_

Although he knew not what the Castle Garden now had in store for him, West knew one thing for sure. He wasn't dead yet.


	4. Chap 3

Author Note: Hey guys. I hope your liking the story so far. Welcome the fourth installment to my awesome story. Please feel free to give me all the feedback nesessary. Cause I will take your feed back, and tender it dearly. I won't blow you guys off. Thanks again for anyone who is reading, keep up the good work, I know not many of us have great attention spans. lol.

****

**Chapter 3**

_**The day after Princess Zelda's letter**_

To the hero of time, fate was a beautiful thing. With each new dungeon, his tunic might have gotten dirtier, and his face more scarred... but the final heroic achievements were magnificent. He became legend.

But to the man who can no longer call himself the hero of time, fate was no more beautiful than swampland. With each new mistake, his tunic attracted more filth, and his face bled harder... yet it was all for nothing. The old Link was now myth.

His eyes locked onto hers, Link could hear Zelda screaming, he could smell her royal fragrance, but he could not reach the princess. Standing there, in growing panic, Link stared at her between a vast army of guards. **Zelda... **he hesitated to lash his sword at these familiar men.

The princess wriggled in pain as a once friendly guard applied pressure to her back. Tears ran down her rosy cheeks, she and Link both knew they were betrayed. These guards that harmed Princess Zelda, they were all once Hylian guards. And Link could do nothing to prevent them from taking her.

-----

As day turned to night, the Hyrule market eventually slowed down and a light fog was now forming. It was kind of pretty, but for Mark West, this was not the time to geek about nature. Leaning near the garden gates he obsessively scanned the clock tower nearby. _It was 8:58, only two minutes remained_.

Mark was the kind of guy that liked a plan, he would have loved to have some sort of elaborate map in his hands write now. He liked to expect things, and as for this meeting... well he didn't have a clue.

Today was admittedly strange, after accepting a strange letter from an even stranger boy, Mark felt like nothing weirder could happen. Thankfully he was right, the rest of the day passed uneventful. This made his growing curiosity about his invitation even stronger.

The wind was picking up, and more fog settled in. Mark started to shiver. He was cold and nervous. _8:59 the clock read when Wester looked up again_. **Come on!** His patience was not holding back, Mark was about to burst. **Hurry up!**

Then the clock ticked and chimed nine times, _it was now 9:00 pm_. Show time.

-----

"Greetings Mark," Whistler smiled slyly as he studied the timid man. "You weren't expecting the same kid, were you?"

The man just remained silent. **I might as well explain myself.** John started to speak.

"You see Mark, my job is to also find Link. I believe this man is in fatal jeopardy. I summoned the two of us together tonight to work some sort of trust."

"What kind of trust?" West finally spoke.

"I guess..." John Whistler paused to gather his thoughts, "there are many who would like to get their hands on Link. Some of these hands are good, but others remain evil. Up until now, the motivations in your hands are still unknown."

It was at this moment when Mark decided to show him the letter of Princess Zelda—

To- Link; Hands have been revealed…

Sincerely,**Princess Zelda**

"These are my true intentions." Mark added.

This satisfied John. West was completely trustworthy. But what slowly started beating his heart faster was a troubling thought. What if the hero's death was due to this undelivered letter. His heart was now pounding. John Whistlers conclusion was startling, but surprisingly accurate.

This simple event could have easily caused the catastrophe, nobody could ever know for sure. If such were true, then _Link had to be found immediately_.


End file.
